This invention relates to waveform converting circuits, and particularly to an improvement of waveform converting circuits involving comparators.
In a transmission/reception system of data signals, because of the presence of transformers and coupling capacitors inserted into the transmission path, it is generally difficult to faithfully convey the D.C. or low-frequency components of data signals. As a consequence, data are reproduced on the receiving side by using the average voltage of data signals, obtained with a low pass filter (LPF), as the comparator's threshold value (hereinafter called the comparison reference value) for "1"-"0" determination of data signals (see U.S. Pat. No. 3,845,412, especially FIG. 13 thereof).
Where, conversely, NRZ (Non-Return to Zero) signals are used as data signals or where D.C. components are contained in data signals for some reason or another, data are reproduced on the receiving side by removing the D.C. components with a high pass filter (HPF) or the like and comparing the signal voltages with the reference voltage (ground potential).
Since capacitors, which are transitional response elements, are used for reproduction or removal or D.C. components in such systems, if data signals retain a continuously high or low level, there will arise a discrepancy in comparison reference value reproduced or a drop of data signals to the ground potential, resulting in an error in data reproduction. These shortcomings have been avoided by, for instance, using a large-capacity capacitor to pass even low-frequency components of data signals, or employing split-phase signals so that the data signals themselves may not contain low-frequency components. However, these remedies lead to new problems; a large-capacity capacitor retards the responses of the converting circuit, or special treatment of data signals entails greater complexity of the system.